Nexus NI - sexual abuse counselling Northern Irelandhttp://www.nexusni.org
helping people to survive sexual abuseMon, 30 Mar 2015 10:19:02 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1Award to Nexus NIhttp://www.nexusni.org/?p=1897
http://www.nexusni.org/?p=1897#commentsThu, 26 Mar 2015 16:25:04 +0000http://www.nexusni.org/?p=1897Brenda Stevenson, Mayor of Derry presented Nexus NI with an award to recognise 30 years of work in Derry.
]]>http://www.nexusni.org/?feed=rss2&p=18970New Posts funded by BBC Children in Needhttp://www.nexusni.org/?p=1895
http://www.nexusni.org/?p=1895#commentsWed, 25 Mar 2015 17:54:17 +0000http://www.nexusni.org/?p=1895Continue reading →]]>Nexus NI are now recruiting for Young People’s counsellors and Family Support workers for our new project funded by BBC Children in Need. Following recruitment and training we will be launching a new counselling service for young people in post primary education. Full details will follow.
]]>http://www.nexusni.org/?feed=rss2&p=18950CO3 Leadership Awards Best Newcomerhttp://www.nexusni.org/?p=1841
http://www.nexusni.org/?p=1841#commentsMon, 09 Mar 2015 11:18:00 +0000http://www.nexusni.org/?p=1841Congratulations to our CEO, Ms Pam Hunter on receiving the Best Newcomer at the recent CO3 Leadership Awards.

]]>http://www.nexusni.org/?feed=rss2&p=18410Video and info on The Rowan and Nexushttp://www.nexusni.org/?p=1839
http://www.nexusni.org/?p=1839#commentsMon, 09 Mar 2015 11:10:11 +0000http://www.nexusni.org/?p=1839The Detail recently produced a video and an article on the work of Nexus NI and The Rowan.

]]>http://www.nexusni.org/?feed=rss2&p=18390Congratulations to Nexus chairhttp://www.nexusni.org/?p=1815
http://www.nexusni.org/?p=1815#commentsFri, 02 Jan 2015 10:02:25 +0000http://www.nexusni.org/?p=1815Continue reading →]]>Nexus are delighted to announce that our chairperson has been awarded the Queen’s Police Medal in the New Year Honours List. We are privileged to have Stephen as our chair and we appreciate both his valuable time and his professional expertise that he brings to his role as chair.

The feedback was brilliant, thanks to all those who attended. Thanks also to all the great speakers on the day, to Jim Fitzpatrick for compering and to Fearghal McKinney for opening the day.

Here are some photos of the day

]]>http://www.nexusni.org/?feed=rss2&p=17830‘Together For You’ celebrates World Mental Health Dayhttp://www.nexusni.org/?p=1733
http://www.nexusni.org/?p=1733#commentsMon, 13 Oct 2014 11:36:24 +0000http://www.nexusni.org/?p=1733Continue reading →]]>Nexus NI is part of a cutting edge collaboration, ‘Together For You’, a mental health and wellbeing project funded by the Big Lottery Fund. As part of World Mental Health Day, Together For You organised a mental health and wellbeing promotional event in CastleCourt, Belfast on 9 October 2014. The day was an opportunity to talk about mental health, and got off to a great start with a visit from the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Nichola Mallon.

(From left to right) Jacqui Swan, RelateNI, Maire Gratton, CAUSE, David Babington, Action Mental Health, Lord Mayor of Belfast, Nichola Mallon, Nevan Ringland, Praxis and Thomas McKeever, Royal College of Psychiatrists launch the mental health and wellbeing event in CastleCourt as part of the Together For You project, funded by the Big Lottery Fund.

The statistic that “one in four people will encounter some form of mental ill-health in their lifetime” is widely used. Through a short poll of customers in CastleCourt, and anecdotally talking to those within in the centre, this figure was confirmed. The survey also showed that over 65% of people had accessed help or information on mental health for themselves or someone else. Despite this, 22% said they do not feel comfortable talking about mental health, the main reason sited was being ‘worried what people might say’.

David Babington, Chief Executive of Action Mental Health, lead partner of the Together For You project said “The CastleCourt event was a great success, a chance for us to talk to people about mental health and wellbeing. By talking about mental health, and seeking help early for yourself or others, we start to reduce the stigma around it. This awareness raising is a big part of the Together For You project, to which all our partners contribute”

Joanne McDowell, Big Lottery Fund NI Director, said: “We are delighted to see the difference that the Together For You partnership, which is promoting mental health and wellbeing, is making to people across Northern Ireland. This fantastic event in the heart of Belfast gave people a flavour of the services they offer, as well as encouraging them to talk about how they can look after their mental health.”

The day included an arts and crafts session with a Year 11 class from The Belfast Boys Model School, facilitated by CRUSE and part of the Northern Ireland Mental Health Art and Film Festival (NIMHAFF). Following this, customers of CastleCourt were able to watch a ‘mood food’ cookery demo facilitated by Vital Nutrition, and also try out a sound therapy session, facilitated by the Sound Healing Spa. Spirits soared, with a music session by Whiteabbey Day Hospital Recovery Choir, and later in the evening from Tiernan Heffron, a Year 12 Student from St Benedict’s College, Randlestown and a beneficiary of the Together for You project via the schools programmes offered. Thanks also go to Belfast Healthy Cities for bringing their pedal powered smoothie bike down for customers to make their own drinks, and to Ashton Community Centre for providing two of their complimentary therapists and facilitating head and hand massages for those passing through the shopping centre. Throughout the day everyone could enjoy the amazing art displayed in the centre, part of the Northern Ireland Mental Health Art and Film Festival (NIMHAFF).

Amanda Jones, Project Manager for Together for You said “It’s hard to believe that it was just a year ago that the Together For You project was launched (World Mental Health Day, 2013). To say that a lot has happened in that year would be a huge understatement. Along with recruiting staff, building websites and publishing newsletters, most importantly of all, Together For You’s services are already making a difference to people in need. So far over 8,600 people in Northern Ireland have benefited from the project, and that number rises every day. That is 8,600 people more likely to talk about their mental health to others, to seek help when they suffer mental Ill-health and to contribute to reducing the stigma surrounding mental ill-health. Today in CastleCourt we built on that growing momentum with a fantastic promotional event, thank you to all who came to visit us”.

]]>http://www.nexusni.org/?feed=rss2&p=17330‘Break the Silence on Sexual Violence’ Launched in Colerainehttp://www.nexusni.org/?p=1722
http://www.nexusni.org/?p=1722#commentsWed, 01 Oct 2014 13:58:43 +0000http://www.nexusni.org/?p=1722Continue reading →]]>On Monday, 22 September 2014 Nexus NI, Northern Ireland’s leading charity working directly with survivors of rape, sexual violence and abuse, launched an intensive PR campaign in the Coleraine area to raise awareness of sexual violence in the community. The launch took place at the office of Coleraine Council.

Mayor George Duddy with Helena Bracken and Judith Boyle of Nexus NI at Coleraine launch.

Regional Manager for Nexus NI, Helena Bracken said, “This campaign will raise awareness of sexual violence in our community. In light of all the recent high profile sex abuse cases in the media, we are asking the citizens of Coleraine to adopt a zero tolerance attitude towards sexual violence, to speak out against it, to report it to the police and to get help if needed”.

The campaign, entitled. ‘BREAK THE SILENCE ON SEXUAL VIOLENCE’ is funded by Coleraine PCSP. The campaign will focus on schools, the university, pubs, leisure centres and libraries throughout the borough council area.

Judith Boyle of Nexus NI highlighting the campaign at the launch event.

To date the campaign has had a really positive response. For further information on this campaign please contact Nexus NI on 028741 2602566 or visit www.nexusni.org

]]>http://www.nexusni.org/?feed=rss2&p=17220A New California Law Requires College Students To Give Consent Before Sexhttp://www.nexusni.org/?p=1711
http://www.nexusni.org/?p=1711#commentsTue, 30 Sep 2014 12:29:13 +0000http://www.nexusni.org/?p=1711Continue reading →]]>The “Yes Means Yes” law is the first of its kind.

On Sunday, California became the first state to adapt a “yes means yes” law, which mandates that students on college campuses get consent before sexual activity.

The bill, signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown, imposes the new standard for consent on all state-funded California colleges, as well as private schools where students are eligible for state grants, the New York Times reported.

Students will need to get a “verbal ‘yes’” or can signal consent “in a nonverbal way,”according to the legislation. However, the absence of active resistance or verbal objections to sex will no longer be able to constitute consent. The bill also gives additional protection to students and sexual assault victims, including on-campus advocates for victims, educational programs for incoming freshmen to learn more about sexual assault and consent, and a rule that any victim who reports a rape cannot be punished for underage drinking.

The bill was introduced earlier this summer by Sen. Kevin de Leon, following a growing national conversation about sexual assault on college campuses.

“Every student deserves a learning environment that is safe and healthy,” De Leon said in a statement Sunday night. “The State of California will not allow schools to sweep rape cases under the rug. We’ve shifted the conversation regarding sexual assault to one of prevention, justice, and healing.”

De Leon said the hopes the California law becomes a model for other states. Already, it has found support across party lines, he said.

“It’s not an ideological, partisan issue,” he said. “Rape is rape.”

He became involved in the issue when he learned about the large numbers of sexual assaults on college campuses, he said.

“As a father of a college-age daughter, I was stunned,” he said. “I was startled when I found out one out of five women, 20 percent, are sexually assaulted during their time in college.”

Critics urged the governor not to sign the bill, arguing it denies due process to those accused of rape. Gordon Finley, an adviser to the National Coalition for Men, said the law is a “campus rape crusade bill” that “presumes the guilt of accused.” But many student advocacy groups and feminist activists support the change, claiming it will offer consistency within California schools and change the idea that rape victims must actively resist an assault to have legitimate complaints.

“This is amazing,” Savannah Badalich, a student at UCLA, told NPR. “It’s going to educate an entire new generation of students on what consent is and what consent is not … that the absence of a no is not a yes.”

If the mindset about consent changes, de Leon said he believes the number of assaults will decline.

“I think it will help start to change the culture,” he said. “Men will know their campus administrators take this issue very seriously.”

]]>http://www.nexusni.org/?feed=rss2&p=17110Golf Fund Raising Eventhttp://www.nexusni.org/?p=1652
http://www.nexusni.org/?p=1652#commentsMon, 22 Sep 2014 11:47:30 +0000http://www.nexusni.org/?p=1652Thanks to all who contributed to the Golf fund raising event on Saturday 13 September at Cloverhill Golf club in Armagh.